The Homecoming
by Kate P
Summary: Adam returns from college to find relations strained between himself and Little Joe.


THIS STORY IS WRITTEN FOR PLEASURE NOT PROFIT AND IS NOT INTENDED TO INFRINGE ON ANY KNOWN COPYRIGHT  
  
THE HOMECOMING  
  
A Bonanza Story  
  
By Kate  
  
  
As the stagecoach thundered into Virginia City Adam Cartwright leant forward in his seat, eager to see his family for the first time in over three years. It seemed so long ago that he had left the Ponderosa to attend college in Boston, and although he had kept in touch by letter, he couldn't help feeling a little apprehensive about seeing his father and brothers again, after all, a lot could change in three years.  
  
Ben Cartwright, flanked by his two younger sons, fifteen year old Hoss and nine year old Little Joe, watched as the stage pulled to a halt. This was a day he had been looking forward to for a long time, the day his eldest son returned home and his family was together once more.  
  
"Adam." Ben moved forward to envelop his son in a hug as he stepped down from the stage. "It's good to see you boy." He held Adam at arm's length for a moment, studying him, remembering the skinny youth who had left three years ago. Now he was looking at a slim, well-muscled young man. `Not a boy any longer' Ben reflected.  
  
"Good to see you big brother!" Hoss slapped Adam heartily on the back. Ben had written that Hoss was now taller than him, but it was still a shock to Adam to see how big his brother was, no one would ever have thought the boy was not yet sixteen.  
  
As his father and Hoss stood back Adam turned to his youngest brother. He caught his breath as he saw the boy, in the time he had been away Joe had lost that baby look, and if possible looked even more like his mother, Marie, than when Adam had last seen him.  
  
Little Joe stood on the boardwalk watching his father and Hoss greet the older brother who had been away so long. Joe had just turned six when Adam had left, he could only just remember when he had lived with them on the Ponderosa.  
  
Adam moved to hug his little brother, but Joe forestalled him by quickly thrusting his hand forward for his brother to shake. "Welcome home Adam." The boy's voice was a little shy.  
  
Taking his cue from Joe, Adam shook the small hand solemnly. "Thank you Little Joe." He said. "I'm very glad to be back."  
  
"Well now Adam." Ben put an arm around his eldest son's shoulders. "How about a meal here in town after your long journey?"  
  
Adam smiled at his father. "Actually Pa, if it's all right with you I'd like to get straight out to the Ponderosa." He said. "I can't wait to get home."  
  
It was a noisy journey home, Ben and Hoss asking umpteen questions and Adam regaling them with tales of his travels.  
  
Joe sat quietly beside Hoss, listening to the others talk. He studied Adam as he laughed with his father and brother. Joe's memories of his eldest brother were fragmented, he could remember his brother reading to him, taking him fishing, building a snowman with him in the winter, but the man who sat in front of him now didn't really match the mental picture of his brother that he'd carried with him so long. He couldn't imagine this man doing any of the things Adam had done with him in the past, he seemed far too grown up to want to play with a young boy.  
  
****  
  
"Mister Adam." Hop Sing cried, hurrying out from the kitchen as the family entered the house. "So good to see you."  
  
"It's good to see you too Hop Sing." Adam stood in the middle of the room and looked around him. "It all looks the same." He said with satisfaction. "Just as I remember it."  
  
"C'mon Joe." Hoss nudged his little brother. "Help me take the luggage upstairs."  
  
Taking one of the heavy bags from Hoss, Joe followed his brother up the stairs and into Adam's room, the room that had stood empty for so long.  
  
Adam had followed them upstairs and stood in the doorway, watching them. "It's almost like going back in time." He said, and then grinned at his brothers. "Except that you two have grown up a bit."  
  
"Well you look a bit more growed up yourself than when I last saw you." Hoss replied. "Don't he Joe?"  
  
"I guess." Joe mumbled. He didn't really have a very clear memory of what Adam had looked like when he saw him last, but it was certainly different from the man who stood before him now.  
  
Coming into the room, Adam sat down on the bed with a sigh. "It's good to be home at last." He said fervently.  
  
****  
  
When Joe arrived at the breakfast table the next morning his father and brothers had already started their meal. Ben frowned at him as he took his place. He expected his family to be on time for meals. Joe looked across the table at Adam, it seemed strange for there to be four for breakfast instead of the usual three. As he helped himself to the food he listened to his father and Adam talking. It seemed they were discussing business, how Adam could take over some of the running of the ranch now he had returned, `Use some of that knowledge you've acquired' as Pa put it.  
  
"We'll make a start after breakfast." Ben was telling Adam now. "If we ride out to the mine first I'll introduce you to our foreman out there, he'll show you all you need to know before taking over."  
  
"Adam's gonna run the mining?" Hoss asked, looking up from his plate, which was as usual piled high with food.  
  
"That's the idea." Ben smiled. Drinking his coffee, he turned to Adam, who was just finishing his breakfast. "Ready son?" He inquired.  
  
As the two left the table Ben turned back to speak to Joe. "Don't be late for school Joseph." He told him. "And be home on time please, Hop Sing is planning a special welcome home meal for your brother."  
  
"But Pa." Joe protested. "Mitch and I were going to go fishing after school."  
  
"I said be home on time." Ben told him firmly. "And no arguments." He said, seeing Joe start to speak. "This is our first family dinner in over three years and you will be there, understand?"  
  
****  
  
"So I can't come fishing with you." Joe explained to Mitch at recess that morning. "Pa says this dinner is more important."  
  
"Well, it is a long time since Adam went away." Mitch said. "I can't even remember him. I mean, you told me you had a brother at college but I can't say I recollect there ever being more than Hoss and you on the Ponderosa."  
  
The two boys were sitting on a bench in the schoolyard, backs against the schoolhouse wall. It had been a long morning in Joe's opinion, math was not his favourite subject, and he had found himself thinking about what was happening at home. Joe had met the mine foreman, Jake, many times and liked the man, he had been foreman for over two years, and Joe wondered how Jake would take to having to answer to Adam instead of his Pa.  
  
"I don't remember Adam too well either." He confessed to Mitch. "Well I sort of do and I don't. I can remember him being there sometimes, but it's kind of vague. And he looks different than I remember as well."  
  
"I bet you look different to him." Mitch grinned. "After all, you were only six when he saw you last, you've got to have changed a whole lot."  
  
Joe considered his friend's words, it was something he hadn't really thought about but it made sense. Probably he looked as different to Adam as Adam did to him.  
  
****  
  
"I'm home." Joe called, tossing his books on the table.  
  
"So I hear." Ben said dryly from his desk where he and Adam were looking over the financial details of the mining operation.  
  
"And I'm on time, just like you said." Joe added coming round to greet his father. "Oh Hi, Adam." He said awkwardly seeing his older brother.  
  
Adam smiled at the youngster, struck once again by his brother's likeness to his mother. "Good day at school?" He asked.  
  
"Is there such a thing?" Joe answered sarcastically.  
  
"Go get washed up." Ben laughed. "And do your homework, you should be finished by the time dinner is ready." Joe sighed, his face taking on an expression of martyrdom as he went to collect his books. "And get changed please." Ben called after him, "Best clothes tonight."  
  
Adam watched as his brother ran up the stairs. "He's grown up so." He told his father. "I knew he would of course, but I was still sort of expecting to see a six year old when I got home."  
  
"And I think Joe was expecting to see the boy who went away." Ben said. "You've both grown up Adam."  
  
Closing the books they had been studying Ben proposed a stroll down to the corral before dinner to see some of the new horses he had recently acquired.  
  
****  
  
Returning to the house, Adam picked up one of Joe's schoolbooks that he had left behind when he went upstairs. "How's Joe doing at school?" He asked his father, idly flicking through the book.  
  
"He does all right." Ben told him. "You know Joe, he'd rather be almost anywhere than at school, but he's a bright boy, he gets reasonable grades, though his teachers say he could do better if he applied himself."  
  
"There are some fine schools for boys of Joe's age back East." Adam said. "Have you ever thought that he might benefit from a better education than Virginia City has to offer?"  
  
At the top of the stairs Joe halted, horrified by his brothers words. He waited breathlessly for his father's reply, suppose Pa thought he ought to be sent away, the very idea frightened him, he didn't want to be away from Pa and Hoss, from the Ponderosa.  
  
"I don't think Joe would thank me for sending him back East." Ben replied, and Joe let out a sigh of relief.  
  
"But you said yourself he's a bright boy." Adam protested. "He could benefit so much from a decent school, they'd push him to achieve far more than he can here."  
  
"What makes you think Virginia City school isn't a decent school?" Ben asked, a slight edge to his voice. "It served you well enough for a few years. Besides." He continued, his tone lightening. "I don't think anyone who tried to `push' your brother would get very far, he's the most stubborn child I've ever known."  
  
"What are you doing lurking round up here?" Hoss whispered from behind Joe, causing him to start guiltily.  
  
"I was just going downstairs and I heard them talking." Joe hissed, turning to face his brother. "He said he wants to send me away."  
  
"Who does?" Hoss was puzzled. "Pa?"  
  
"No, `course not." Joe told him. "It's Adam, he wants Pa to send me to some stupid school back East." Joe's temper was rising now. "He's only been back one day and he already wants to change everything." He complained bitterly, his voice getting louder.  
  
"Hush." Hoss warned. "Pa'll hear you. He's not going to send you away is he?" Seeing Joe shake his head in denial Hoss smiled. "So, it's alright then." He said. "Forget about it Joe, let's get downstairs and enjoy that food Hop Sing's been cooking all day."  
  
Following his brother down the stairs, Joe was still seething with anger. It was all right for Adam he thought, he'd wanted to go away, but suppose Pa had decided it was right to send him away too. He couldn't have borne that and he was angry with Adam for suggesting it.  
  
Despite himself, Joe found his anger dissolving as the meal progressed. Hop Sing had cooked all their favourite things in honour of Adam's return, the table was practically groaning with the weight of food placed upon it. Listening to his eldest brother as he entertained them with tales of his life at college, Joe found to his surprise that he was enjoying himself. Adam was a good storyteller; making the incidents he described `come alive' for his family.  
  
Adam was also enjoying the meal. He watched his brothers as they laughed at his stories. After just one day at home he already felt at ease with Hoss, taking up their old relationship almost as though he'd never been away, but Joe was a different prospect. He had seen the angry glare his little brother favoured him with as he sat down at the table and suspected the boy had overheard the conversation with his father. As the meal progressed Adam was glad to see the anger fade from Joe's face and looking at him now he could see that the child was engrossed in his stories, annoyance forgotten. He remembered his brother at the age he had last seen him, how Joe's moods could change so quickly from light to dark and back in moments, it appeared that this was still very much the case.  
  
****  
  
Over the next two weeks, Adam settled easily into life at the Ponderosa, he enjoyed the responsibilities that his father placed on him at the mine. Ben also frequently asked his opinion over other aspects of Ponderosa business, which he found gratifying. He spent a great deal of his time with his father, Ben imparting his knowledge of the mining operation on to his son with the aim of Adam taking sole responsibility in a few weeks time. Adam was feeling that he was a part of his family again, but though he got on well with his father and with Hoss he was still experiencing awkwardness in his relationship with Joe. The boy spoke to him more readily now, but there was no sign of the closeness they had enjoyed before Adam left for Boston.  
  
"Joseph." Ben called to his youngest as the boy came into the house.  
  
Joe walked over to where his father was working at his desk. Seeing the serious expression on Ben's face, Joe began to search his memory for anything he could have done wrong, just for once he couldn't recall any serious misdemeanours in the past few days. "Yes Pa?" he asked apprehensively.  
  
Ben smiled, seeing the worried look on the boys face. "Don't fret." He told him. "You haven't done anything wrong," He saw relief in Joe's eyes and qualified his words. "As far as I know anyway."  
  
"I haven't, honestly." Joe stated. "So what do you want me for?"  
  
"I have to go away for a few days on business." Ben told him. Joe's face fell, he didn't like it when his father was away, somehow the ranch seemed a very empty place without his Pa. "Now last time I was away." Ben said. "Hoss was supposed to be in charge, but that didn't work out too well, did it Joseph?"  
  
"No, sir." Joe fixed his eyes on the floor, it was only a matter of months ago that he had been left with Hoss in charge. Always able to inveigle his brother into doing what he wanted, Joe had persuaded Hoss that it would be a good idea if they took in a stray dog he found on his way home from school one day. Kind hearted as always, Hoss had taken pity on the bedraggled looking creature and agreed to Joe keeping it in his room so that Hop Sing wouldn't find it and throw it out. Unfortunately the animal was full of fleas and by the time Ben returned the house was alive with them. Even after the dog had been thoroughly deloused and put out to live in the yard it had taken many weeks of suffering itchy bites before they got rid of the creatures from the house.  
  
"I don't blame Hoss for what happened." Ben told Joe, fixing his son with a stern gaze. "Because I know how persuasive you can be when you set your mind to it. Many times you've persuaded me to let you do something against my better judgement." This was certainly true Ben reflected. When Joe looked pleadingly at him with those eyes so like his mothers it was very difficult to turn him down. "But this time you will have your oldest brother to answer to." He continued. "And I don't imagine you'll find him as easy to get round as Hoss."  
  
Joe was dismayed. "Adam's going to be in charge?" He asked.  
  
"He is." Ben confirmed. "And I want you to remember that Joseph, understand?" Joe nodded reluctantly. "Now go and get washed up." Ben dismissed him. "Dinner will be ready soon."  
  
Joe ran up the stairs to his room, he wasn't happy at having Adam put in charge of him. For the last few days Joe's feelings towards his eldest brother had been increasingly resentful, it seemed to Joe that he hardly ever saw his father lately without Adam by his side. Ben never seemed to have time for him, Joe thought, he was always talking with Adam, and now his brother was going to get to run the ranch when Pa was away and even worse get to tell him what he could and couldn't do. `He should have stayed in Boston.' Joe thought unhappily. `It was better without him.'  
  
****  
  
"I'm sure you'll manage fine." Ben reassured Adam as he prepared to leave his son in charge of the Ponderosa. "And I'm sure that Hoss will be a great help to you." He continued, smiling at his two youngest sons who stood by his horse, waiting to say goodbye.  
  
Fondly Ben tousled Joe's curls. "Watch out for this one though." He warned Adam jokingly. "He seems to attract trouble."  
  
"Aw Pa." Joe protested. "I'm not that bad."  
  
Ben just laughed, mounting his horse he looked again at Joe. "Remember what I said." He warned him. "Mind what your brother says. I'll see you all in a few days." And with a last glance at his three sons standing together by the hitching post, he urged his horse forward and rode away.  
  
"Well." Adam said as they watched him go. "Guess I'm on my own now."  
  
"You'll do all right." Hoss assured him. "Bet you can run the place just as good as Pa."  
  
Adam smiled at his brother, Hoss' words cheering him enormously. "I'll do my best." He told him. "And first things first." He fixed his dark eyes on Joe. "Time you were off to school Little Joe."  
  
"I know that." Joe muttered and headed into the house to collect his school things.  
  
"I just don't know how to get through to that boy." Adam sighed watching his brother's retreating back. "I really don't think he likes me."  
  
"He just got used to it being just the two of us." Hoss told him. "He'll get used to you again Adam, you see if he don't."  
  
****  
  
"Are you sure it's all right to be here Joe?" Mitch asked his friend for the second time that afternoon. "You sure Adam didn't want you home?"  
  
"He didn't say so." Joe told him. He stretched out on the warm grass and watched as Mitch threaded a wriggling worm onto a hook. "'Sides I don't have to do what he says."  
  
Mitch glanced round perplexed. "I thought you told me your Pa said Adam was in charge."  
  
"He did say that." Joe admitted. "But he only told me that I had to remember that, and I do." He knew of course that his father expected him to do what Adam said, but resentment at being left in Adam's charge was uppermost in Joe's mind at the moment. He had heard Adam call after him that morning, something about getting his chores done as soon as he was home from school, but he hadn't caught all his brother said, so could legitimately claim he hadn't heard.  
  
Settling down beside his friend, Mitch cast his fishing line into the stream and the two boys passed a pleasant hour talking idly as they waited to see if a fish would take the bait. Joe was half dozing in the late afternoon sun, which dappled the grass as it filtered through the leaves of the trees when Mitch prodded him sharply in the ribs.  
  
"Hey." Joe complained. "What was that for?"  
  
"There's a rider coming." Mitch told him. "I think it might be your brother, the horse is one of the Ponderosa's."  
  
Joe sat up quickly, suddenly wide-awake. His heart sank as he saw that Mitch was right, it was Adam, and he had obviously seen them.  
  
****  
  
Adam had at first just been annoyed when his brother failed to turn up on time after school but as time went on the annoyance became tinged with worry. Despite Hoss' reassurances that Joe would only have taken off somewhere with a friend, Adam decided that he ought to look for the boy, after all his father had left him in charge. Finding his brother safe and well had relieved Adam's fears, but they were swiftly replaced by anger and as he dismounted and walked towards the boy, the rebellious look he saw in Joe's eyes didn't help matters. "I told you there was work for you to do at home after school" Adam's tone was icy. "So what are you doing here?"  
  
"I never heard you say that." Joe rejoined airily. Despite his apparent bravado he was inwardly quaking, he could see that his brother was very angry.  
  
"Get yourself home right now." Adam told him. "I'll talk to you about your attitude later."  
  
Joe just stared at him for a moment, then abruptly all the pent up resentment of the past weeks welled up in the child and his temper flared. "Don't you tell me what to do!" He yelled. "You're not my Pa! Why don't you just go back to Boston!" He saw the hurt look cross Adam's face but was too angry to stop. "I hate you Adam Cartwright." With that last parting shot he turned and began to walk away.  
  
Grabbing Joe's arm as he walked past, Adam turned the boy to face him, he had held his own temper in check till now but his brother's words had stung. "Don't you dare speak to me like that." He said angrily. "I expect some respect from you."  
  
Joe tried to pull free, he couldn't help feeling a little ashamed of his outburst, but he was still angry with Adam, especially as he now caught sight of Mitch staring at the two in dismay.  
  
Feeling the boy pull away Adam's temper finally snapped, and before he was aware of what he was doing he had pulled his hand back and delivered a stinging slap to his brother's rear. Immediately, Adam dropped his hand to his side, he saw the stricken look that Joe gave him, tears suddenly welling in the green eyes, tears not of pain, Adam saw, but of rage. "Joe I didn't mean to..." He began, but his brother just turned and walked rapidly away. Watching him go Adam felt ashamed, he had let a nine year old boy make him lose his temper and in the process he might have lost any chance he had of gaining his young brother's friendship. Dejectedly he followed Joe back to the Ponderosa.  
  
****  
  
Joe did his chores as soon as they got home, then retired to his room. When Adam sent Hoss up to tell Joe dinner was ready, Hoss reported back that their little brother didn't want any food and was already preparing for bed.  
  
"Did he say anything about what happened?" asked Adam anxiously.  
  
"Not exactly." Hoss told him. "He just said he wished Pa was home, that's all." He studied Adam's worried face with concern. "He'll be all right." He assured his big brother. "It's not as though he didn't deserve a spanking."  
  
"I hope Pa sees it like that." Adam toyed with the food on the plate in front of him; the incident with Joe had robbed him of his appetite. "I shouldn't have done it, Hoss." He said. "I lost my temper and I shouldn't have."  
  
"Little Joe can make anyone lose their temper at times." Hoss told him. "Forget it Adam. Joe'll come around, you'll see."  
  
Adam only wished he could believe that.  
  
****  
  
The next two days passed by without major incident. Joe made sure he came straight home after school and did his chores. That he was still sulking over the incident was obvious, he spoke to Adam only in response to direct questions and his answers were as short as he could make them without actually being insolent.  
  
At school Mitch had been sympathetic. "I'm sure glad he ain't my brother." He said as the two boys ate lunch together. "I don't know how you stand having him around."  
  
Hearing Mitch say that about Adam caused Joe to consider. His brother had been angry because he disobeyed him, he knew, and that was his own fault. According to Hoss, who had tried to explain things to Joe, part of the reason Adam was so angry was because he had been worried, Pa had made him responsible for his little brother and he wanted to do a good job of looking after him. "I guess Adam's not so bad really." Joe found himself defending his brother. "It was my fault mostly."  
  
Mitch looked at his friend in surprise, after all the things Joe had said about Adam, he thought; just let someone else say it and Joe sprang to his brother's defence.  
  
After admitting to himself that he had been the one mostly to blame over the incident, Joe's anger began to fade. By the time Ben returned, Joe and Adam were back on speaking terms. By unspoken agreement neither of them told their father what had happened. Joe was grateful to his older brother for that, he had an uneasy feeling that his Pa would have been almost as angry as Adam had been, and he was glad to avoid the inevitable extra chores, or confinement to the ranch that would have been his punishment. He was forced to admit that Adam had lived up to his father's expectations as well, keeping the ranch running as if Ben had not been away.  
  
Ben's pride in Adam when he got home to find all was well gave his eldest son a much-needed boost of confidence and within the week he had taken over the running of the mine from his father. The work kept him busy and he began to spend a couple of days a week out at the mine. Returning to the Ponderosa one Friday evening Adam found Joe clearing out the stable, one of his regular chores around the ranch  
  
"Hi Adam." Joe said, looking up as Adam took his horse into his stall and began to remove his saddle. "How was your day?"  
  
"Fine." Adam told him. "And yours?"  
  
"As good as school ever is." Joe answered with a grimace. "Still tomorrow's Saturday." He smiled, his face lighting with pleasure at the thought of a whole day of freedom.  
  
"Got anything planned?" Adam asked, an idea occurring to him.  
  
"No." Joe looked at his brother with interest. "Why, you got something in mind?"  
  
Adam shrugged. "I just thought you might like to ride up to the mine with me." He said. "You don't have to if you don't want." he added quickly. "It was just a thought."  
  
Joe considered Adam's suggestion; perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to spend a day with his older brother he decided. It might be more interesting than staying at home anyway. "Yes, I think I'd like that." He said, Adam was pleased, he hoped a day with just the two of them might be the beginning of a better relationship.  
  
****  
  
It had taken some persuasion on Adam's part to get his father to allow Joe to accompany him, and it was with Ben's warning to keep a close eye on his little brother in such a dangerous place still ringing in his ears that Adam rode out with Joe the next morning.  
  
It was a pleasant morning, the late summer sunshine warm now; though earlier the air had been cool with the first hints of crisp autumn days soon to come.  
  
Arriving at the mine Joe stayed close to Adam as his brother liased with the foreman and then went out to speak to some of the men who were taking a meal break. It was obvious that even in the short time Adam had been in charge the men had come to like and respect him, valuing his opinion.  
  
Joe was finding the day interesting. Adam took pains to explain the workings of the mine to his little brother, making it easy for the boy to understand. "You'll need to know all about this one day Joe." Adam told him as they sat together in the office, eating the packed lunch that Hop Sing had prepared for them. "Perhaps you might get to run things when you grow up."  
  
"I hope not." Joe said quickly. " I know what I'd like to do, I've always known."  
  
"Oh." Adam raised his eyebrows quizzically. "And what's that?"  
  
"I want to work with the horses." Joe confided, flashing his dazzling grin. "I'm good with horses."  
  
"I know." Adam smiled. "I remember when you were small I told Pa I thought you were going to be real good with horses someday."  
  
"You did?" Joe said, surprised. "Well you were right."  
  
Adam laughed, he was glad he'd thought of asking Joe along with him today, for the first time since he'd come home he was beginning to feel at ease with the boy. "I think you'll probably make a great horse breaker." He told him, pleased to see Joe's face light at his words.  
  
By mid-afternoon much of the work force had left for the day and Adam and Joe were about to return to the ranch. They were on their way to the hitching post when Adam was hailed by one of his men.  
  
"Wait here Joe." He told his brother. "I'll be back in a moment."  
  
Adam was engrossed in conversation when he became aware of a deep rumbling sound from above, looking up he was horrified to see a hail of stones cascading down the hillside heading directly for where his young brother stood talking to the horses.  
  
"Joe!" Adam yelled as, heedless of his own safety, he ran towards the boy. Looking up at Adam's call Joe saw his brother heading his way. Before he had time to react Adam had dived for him, shoving Joe as hard as he could out of the path of the descending rocks. Sent sprawling by Adam's push Joe could only watch in terror as the stones bounced off his brother. As the rain of rocks ceased Adam lay unmoving, blood beginning to flow from numerous abrasions on his body.  
  
****  
  
"Adam!" Joe screamed out, scrambling to his feet and stumbling toward his elder brother, reaching Adam's side he knelt down beside him, tears beginning to fall. "Please be all right Adam." He begged. "Please be all right."  
  
Adam opened his eyes to see his brother's tear streaked face gazing anxiously down at him, struggling into a sitting position he attempted to reassure the boy. "I'm fine Joe." He said. Wincing as he became aware of painful cuts on his face and arms. "It's just a few little scrapes, I'll be all right."  
  
Unconvinced Joe stared at his brother, scared by the sight of the blood now flowing freely down Adam's face from a particularly deep gash on his brow.  
  
Hesitantly Adam reached out and pulled the child towards him. Hugging him gently to his chest, he tried to calm Joe's fears, "It's all right." He repeated. "I'm fine Joe, honestly."  
  
He was surprised to feel Joe's arms go round him in a fierce hug. "I'm sorry." The boy sobbed. "I'm sorry Adam, I don't hate you and I don't want you to go, just please be all right."  
  
Waving away two of his mineworkers who were coming to his aid, Adam grasped Joe's shoulders and held his brother away from him so he could see his face. "Look at me Joe" He instructed and smiled as the boy raised his eyes. "See." He said. "I'm fine, it's only a little blood. I'll look much better after I clean it off."  
  
Joe nodded shakily, getting to his feet he watched Adam as he too got up from the ground, reassured that his brother was not badly hurt.  
  
"Come on." Adam said putting an arm round Joe's shoulders and feeling absurdly pleased when the boy didn't pull away. "Let's go home."  
  
****  
  
"Is he asleep?" Adam asked softly, entering Joe's room later that evening. He'd attended to his cuts and bruises when he arrived home and had just emerged from a long soak in the bathtub. He was feeling a little sore but otherwise non-the worse for his ordeal.  
  
Ben looked up from where he was sitting beside Joe's bed. "He just dropped off." He told Adam. "He was telling me all about it. Seems you could have saved his life up there this afternoon."  
  
"I don't know about that." Adam walked over to his father. "Is he okay?"  
  
"He's fine." Ben reassured him. "Just a little shaken up." He looked up at his oldest son. "How are you feeling is more to the point?"  
  
"Just a bit bruised and battered." Adam smiled. " I was surprised at Joe though." He told his father. "He was really concerned, good to know he doesn't hate me after all."  
  
"Hate you?" Ben was astounded. "Why on earth would you think Joe hated you?"  
  
"We had a bit of a run in while you were away." Adam confessed. "He lost his temper and told me he hated me. Told me to go back to Boston."  
  
Ben looked from his oldest son to his youngest; he remembered the days immediately after Adam had left for Boston, how Joe had missed his brother. "Go and open the bottom drawer of Joe's dresser." He instructed. Adam looked at him in surprise. "Go on." His father urged.  
  
Puzzled, Adam crossed to the dresser and reached down to pull open the drawer. Looking inside he was surprised to see a bundle of letters lying among the clean clothes. "My letters." He breathed, picking up the bundle. "This must be every letter I ever wrote to Little Joe."  
  
"Every one." Ben told him. "He kept them all and read them over and over, see what's underneath them?"  
  
Looking back at the drawer Adam saw the wooden horse he had carved for Joe before he left for college. A gift to remind his little brother of the time he had bravely ridden Adam's horse into Virginia City to fetch help when Adam had got his leg caught in an animal trap. "The horse." Adam said in wonder. "He still has it."  
  
Getting up from his chair Ben walked quietly across to his oldest son. "Joseph doesn't hate you." He told him. "He just found it a bit difficult to get used to having you home again." He glanced back at the boy sleeping soundly in the bed. "I can't promise you that you'll ever be as close as you were." He told Adam slowly. " Joe's not a little boy anymore that will accept everything you say without question. He's grown up a lot and has his own opinion on things and as you're both stubborn and Joe is so easily riled I imagine you'll probably have many disagreements in the future, but never think your brother hates you Adam, he cares for you very much. And for the next few day's at least." Ben finished, smiling. "You'll be his hero for what you did today."  
  
As his father left the room, Adam returned the letters to the drawer. He stood for a while watching his brother sleep. Like his father Adam could see that his relationship with his little brother was never going to be as simple as that with Hoss. He realised that there were likely to be many more disagreements over the years ahead, but as he recalled Joe's fears for him that afternoon, the feel of the boy's arms around him, he was reassured that his little brother did indeed care for him. "Sleep well Little Joe." He whispered and softly closing the door behind him followed his father downstairs.  
  
THE END  
  
© Kathleen Pitts 1999 


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